The simple present tense is used to talk about general truths.

The simple past tense is used to describe things that

happened in the past. We add –d/-ed/ied to the verbs.
It is also used to talk about time-tabled future events. Unlike Sometimes the spelling of the verb might change (irregular
other tense forms, the simple present tense has a special –s verb).
Eg: she loved (love) chocolate when she was (is) a kid.
marking when the subject is a singular noun or pronoun. They played (play) happily yesterday.
Eg: She loves chocolate. (add –s) My brother cried (cry) loudly last night.
They love chocolate. (no addition)
Complete the following sentences using the simple past tense
form of the verb.
Fill in the blanks with appropriate simple present tense form of
the verb given in the brackets.
1. I ……………. (see) him yesterday.
2. I …………………. (receive) his letter yesterday.
1. The plane ………………….. at 6.30. (arrive)
3. She ……………….. (leave) school last year.
2. I will phone you when he ………………. back. (come)
4. Last night I …………………….. (do not) sleep well.
3. Unless we ……………. now we can’t be there on time. (start)
5. He …………………. (fall) asleep while he was driving.
4. The sun ……………………… in the east. (rise)
6. I ……………… (buy) a new bicycle last week.
5. The next term ………………… on Monday. (begin)
7. We ……………….. (finish) our breakfast half an hour ago.
6. She ………………… an engineer. (be)
8. When I was in the US, I …………… (visit) Chicago, Boston
7. They ………………. our relatives. (be)
and California.
8. When does the train …………………? (depart)
9. I …………….. (meet) an old classmate of mine at the library.
9. Let’s wait till he ………………….. his work. (finish)
10. She …………………………… (say) that she would not go.
10. Please ring me up as soon as he ……………………. (arrive)